I did not plan to get another pit bull back in 1984, but what harm could it do to look at puppies right down the street? Oh gee and they had 12 of them... then it was down to the last 2 pups no one wanted, the oversized male and the red female with a wart on her ear. Well, at least she'd have a chance to find a better home if we bought her and what's $50 for a pup's life? Thus a 9 week old red nosed pup came to stay, though she was supposed to be "only temporary".

Her father was named Theo so she just sort of ended up being Cleo, or Cleopitbull. She grew into a proper pit bull, her papers showed she had some well bred game dogs behind her. Red with a red nose, a white chest and white toes on her rear feet, 45 pounds in weight, she was a pretty dog. As a pup, I took her everywhere, she went to the Florida beaches with me early in the mornings and slept on my towel when she was tired. She grew up and learned to be my friend and companion.

When she was 3 yrs old, my father died. She had to be boarded for 2 weeks, that was a disaster. Someone at the kennel took a dislike to her, they teased her and shocked her with a cattle prod. She lost half her body weight in 2 weeks and I thought she was going to die when I brought her home. She did recover but she never trusted strangers after that, but can you blame her? Just like when the kids shot her with a BB gun while I was working, she never forgot. If she knew you, she was fine, if she did not know you, she did not want to know you.

Knowing she was not good with strangers, I was very careful with her. I kept her safe for 6 1/2 years, she never bit anyone though a few I am sure she would have liked to. Her end came too soon, a brain tumor. No cure for that and she was not the type of dog to do well at the vet surrounded with strangers. She was suffering and in misery, so on Nov. 11th, she was released from her pain.

She was my heart dog and my soul mate, gone but never out of mind. You remember all of the ones which went before but some are special and leave a larger hole in your heart.

Rest in peace my friend.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There are a hundred places where I fear
To go, -- so with her memory they brim.
And entering with relief, some quiet place
Where never fell her paw or shone her
face

I say, "There is no memory of her here!"
And stand stricken, so remembering her...